Machine for applying tape to shoe parts



Dc. 7, 1948. H, D, ELLI TT' 2,455,359

MACHINE FOR APPLYING TAPE TO SHOE PARTS Filed July 25, 1947 S SheetS-Shet 1 In M1 Dec. 7, 1948 I ELLIOTT 2,455,359-

MACHINE FOR APPLYING TAPE T0 SHOE PARTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1947 Dec. 7, 1948. H. D. ELLIOTT MACHINE FOR APPLY ING TAPE TO S-HOE PARTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed J l 26, 1947 Patented Dec. 7, 1948 MACHINE FOR APPLYING TAPE TO SHOE PARTS Harry 1). Elliott, Wenham, Mass., assignor to "United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. 5., a corporation. of New Jersey Application July 26, 1947, Serial No. 763,921

6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for applying tape to shoe parts and is herein illustrated and described as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,335,267, granted November 30, 1943, upon my application, for applying a precoated reinforcin tape to the throats of Vamps for blucher and bal type shoes. The purpose of the tape is to reinforce the vamp throat along that portion to which the quarters of the shoe are to be attached in order to strengthen the connection and to prevent the attaching means from pulling out under the strain of the lasting operation and particularly the strain of removing the last in the course of manufacture. The reinforcing tape is applied on the lengthwise center line of a bal type vamp. In the case of blucher type Vamps it is desirable to apply two pieces of tape, one on each side of the lengthwise center line.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape applying machine of the character above described having improved means for gaging a vamp in relation to the tape applying instrumentalities. In accordance with a feature of the invention the illustrated machine is provided with a gage transversely movable between two operating positions wherein it gages a blucher vamp for the application of separate pieces of reinforcing tape at opposite sides of the vamp throat. The illustrated machine is further provided with another gage for gaging a bal vamp for the application of a single piece of reinforcing tape at the center of the vamp throat, the bal vamp gage being so constructed and arranged that when it occupies its operative position it serves to hold the blucher vamp gage in a neutral position.

These and other features of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine with the cover broken away to show portions of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the gaging mechanism showing a bal vamp in gaged position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the gaging mechanism;

Fig. l is a front elevation of the gaging mechanism in position for operating upon a bal vamp;

Fig. 5 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the gaging mechanism arranged to position a blucher vamp; and

Fig. 6 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 4 but showing the gaging mechanism arran ed to operate upon a blucher vamp.

The supporting structure of the illustrated machine consists of a hollow casing l0 having a removable cover 12 (Fig. 2), the forward portion of which serves as a work table l4 for supporting, flesh side down, a bal vamp I6 as shown in Fig. 2 or a blucher vamp l8 as shown in Fig. 5. While, for convenience, the work table M is shown in a horizontal position, it actually slopes downwardly and forwardly, the entire cover l2 being tilted at'about the same inclination as the cover disclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,335,267, above mentioned.

The illustrated machine is further provided with a mechanism 29 (Fig. 1) for guiding a strip 22 of adhesive tape which is drawn, coated side up, from a reel positioned at the left of the machine. The tape 22 passes beneath the work table l4 through a groove, not shown, in the under surface of the cover l2 and it is fed by mechanism comprising a feed bar 24 which reciprocates in guideways in the casing l0. Such movement of the feed bar 24 is effected by a lever 28 which is fulcrumed upon a pin 30 adjustable from front to back to vary the length of stroke of the feed bar. The rearward end of the lever 28 carries a cam roll which engages a groove formed on a cam 32. This cam 32 is carried by a shaft 34 journaled in suitable bearings in the casing I8 and driven by a pulley 36 over which runs a belt 38 connected to any suitable source of power.

The tape 22 passes over a hardened steel plate 40 which is reciprocated heightwise to apply the tape to the under surface of the vamp I6 or I8, a suitable opening being formed in the work table ill to provide access to the vamp. The left hand edge of the plate 40 also operates as a shear blade in cooperation with a stationary shear blade $2 to sever a, piece of tape 43 (Fig. which is to be applied to a bal vamp, or a piece of tape 45 (Fig. 5) which is to be applied to a blucher vamp. The plate 40 is carried by a block 44 mounted on a lever 46 which is fulcrumed upon a pin 43. Upon the rearward end of the lever 46 is formed a yoke 49 which embraces a cam 50 secured upon the shaft 34 to rock the lever 46 heightwise. The block 45 is secured to the lever 46 through an arcuate tongue-and-groove connection to provide for angular adjustment of the left-hand edge of t e plate 40 with respect to the shear blade 42 and it is clamped in adjusted position by two screws 52.

. respect to the piece of tape.

'tionary scale I4 secured upon the cover I2.

The upward thrust of the block 44 in applying the piece of tape 43 or 45 to the vamp is resisted by a transparent block 56 of plastic or nonshatterable glass carried by a pair of arms 58 which are pivotally mounted upon a fulcrum pin 60 and are integrally connected at their rear ends by a cross piece 62. The transparent block 56 bridges the forward ends of the arms 58, the lateral edges of the block being beveled for dovetail engagement with complementary notches formed in the arms as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. In order to hold the block 56 securely clamped between the arms 58, a screw 64 has a smooth shank portion extending through a hole in one of the arms and an end portion threadedly engaging the other arm, the arms being sufiiciently resilient to accommodate the slight movement necessary for clamping the block.

The fulcrum pin 60 is mounted in a bracket 66 having a lowerportion which is embraced by the arms 58. The bracket 66 has also an upper rearwardly extending portion, which terminates in a .slide 68 having tongue-and-groove engagement with a guideway I formed on a steeply inclined portion of the cover I2. The guideway I0 extends transversely of the machine for the purpose of enabling the bracket 66 and the various members which it supports to be adjusted toward the right or the left in accordance with the length of the piece of tape 43 or 45 to be applied. Inasmuch as the left-hand end of this piece of tape, as viewed from the front of the machine, always coincides with the stationary edge of the shear blade 42, the position of the center line of the pieceof tape will depend upon the length of the piece of tape. The transverse adjustment, therefor, of the bracket 66 thus enables the various parts carried by the block to be centered with adjusting the bracket 66, the slide 68 is provided with a pointer "I2 which cooperates with a sta- The slide 68 is secured in its adjusted position in the guideway ID by clamping screws I which pass through slots in the slide 68. For the transverse positioning of bal Vamps a center line 16 is provided on the transparent block 56, the operator moving the vamp to the right or left until a mark on the vamp comes into register with the center line 76.

The transparent block 56 is yieldingly held down against the upward thrust of the presser block 44 by a spring I8 (Fig. 3) housed in a bore 80 in the cross piece 62. The upper end of the spring 18 bears against an internal shoulder of the bore 80 and the lower end of the spring I8 bears against a washer 82 backed by a nut 84 threaded upon a reduced lower end portion of a screw 86. The upper portion of the screw 86 is of greater diameter than the lower portion and is threaded into the upper and rearwardly extending portion of the bracket 66. A shoulder 81 on the screws 86 engages the cross piece 62 to hold the latter against the upward thrust of the spring 62 large enough to permit free pivotal movement of the arms 58 about the pin 60.

The illustrated machine as so far described...

except for difierences in the design of some'of its For convenience in;

upon the work table I4.

' Fig. 2, the bal vamp I6 has an edge 92 extending across the base of its throat recess. The purpose of the gage 90 is to serve as a rearward stop for the edge 92 when the operator positions the vamp The gage 90 is in the form of a slide and it is guided for heightwise movement in a guideway formed in an upstanding portion of a bracket 94. The gage 90 is frictionally retained in a desired heightwise position in its guideway by a light clamping pressure exerted by a spring washer 93 backed by the head of a screw 95 extending through a heightwise slot 91 in the gage and threaded into the bracket. The bracket 94 has a horizontal rearwardly extending portion which is rigidly secured by a clamping screw 96 to a forwardly extending portion98 of the bracket 66. The screw 96 has a clamping shoulder I00 which bears against the bracket 94 and a threaded lower end portion I02 I which is threaded down into the extension 98.

A slot I04 formed in the bracket 94 to accommodate the screw 96 permits the bracket 94 to be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly. Excessive forward adjustment'of the bracket 94, which might result in bringing the gage 90 into the path of heightwise movement of the plate 40, is prevented by a stop I8I secured in the bracket 66 by a set screw I03 and engageable with a shoulder The gage 90 is shown in with its lower edge in contact with the work table I4, wherein it is operative to engage a work piece. It may, however, be raised to an out-of-the-way position as shown in Fig. 6 and, for the convenience .of the operator in thus moving it in its guideway, a finger hole I06 is provided in its upper portion. The lower end of the gage 90, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, is centrally recessed, for a purpose later to be described, leaving two spaced work engaging portions I08.

"For determining the position of the blucher vamp*l8 (Fig. 5), the illustrated machine is provided with a gage H2 in the form of a forwardly extending bar having at its forward end a rounded work engaging portion H4. The rear portion of the-gage H2 is 'slidably mounted for forward and rearward adjustment in a guideway II5 (Fig. 3)

formed in the under surface of a head II 6 inis pivotally'mounted in a bearing formed in the bracket 66 to enable the gage II2 to swing transversely of the machine about the axis of the sleeve.

The gage II2 can thus be adjusted in its guideway forwardly and rearwardly, or radially with respect tothe axis of the sleeve H8, and it is clamped in its guideway by a bolt I20 extending upwardly through the sleeve H8 and having at its lower end a square head I22, two edges of which engage the sides of the guideway I I5 to prevent turning of thebolt relatively to the sleeve H8. The shank of the bolt I20 passes through pair of finger grips I24 formed on the rear end of the gage. Secured upon the upper end portion of the sleeve H8 is asplit block. I26 having a; clamping screw I28 by means of .which the split portion of the block can be tightly drawn together O to clamp the block on the sleeve. For the purpose of positively preventing turning movement of the block I26 relative to the sleeve II8, a key I30 engages suitable recesses in the sleeve and the block. The sleeve I l8 is retained against axial movement in its bearing in the bracket 66 by the head H6 formed on the lower end of the sleeve and the block I26 clamped to its upper end portion. A knurled nut I 32 threaded upon the upper end portion of the bolt I and bearing against the upper surface of the block I tightens the bolt to clamp the gage H2 in its position of forward and rearward adjustment. It is evident that the gage I I2, the sleeve I I8, the bolt I28, and the block I26 can all turn pivotally as a unit about the axis of the sleeve I I3.

In order to limit such swinging movement of the gage HZ toward the right and left, the block I26 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending ears I34 having their adjacent edges angularly disposed to define a V-shaped recess into which extends an upstanding pin I36. This pin I36 is rigidly mounted in a slide I38 which is movable forwardly and rearwardly in a suitable guideway formed in the upper portion of the bracket 66. The forward and rearward position of the pin I36 is adjusted by turning a knurled head Hill of a screw Hi2 which is threaded horizontally into the bracket 66. The slide I38 has a depending lug IM which is recessed to enable it to engage a groove formed in a smooth portion of the head of the screw I42. It is evident that turning of the head M0 will adjust the pin I36 toward or from the vertex of the V-shaped recess provided between the ears I341 and thereby vary the extent to which the block 826 can be turned by reason of one of the other walls of the l-shaped recess engaging the pin I35. Thus if the pin I36 is adjusted to a forward position the amplitude of the swinging movement of the gage II2 will be relatively great and if the pin I33 is adjusted to a rearward position this amplitude will be relatively small.

When bal vamps are being operated upon and the use of the blucher gage II2 is not required, the blucher gage is swung into a neutral position wherein its work engaging portion will extend into the recess between the two spaced work engaging portions IIl8 (Fig. 4) of the bal gage 90. Then, when the bal gage '90 is lowered into operating position, it will hold the blucher gage H2 in this neutral position. Excessive forward adjustment of the blucher gage H2, which might bring it into the path of heightwise movement of the plate 48, is prevented by a shoulder I46 (Fig. 6) on the blucher gage which is engageable with the rear surface of the bal gage 90.

When blucher Vamps are being operated upon, the bal gage Si! is raised to bring it into its outof-the-way position (Fig. 6) and to release the blucher gage I I2 for lateral swinging movement. The, blucher gage IIZ may then be swung to its right-hand limiting position, as shown in Fig. 5, to gage the vamp It for the application of the piece of tape :25 to the vamp at the left-hand side of the vamp throat. After the piece of tape has thus been applied, the gage H2 is swung to its left-hand limiting position and a similar piece of tape is applied at the right-hand side of the vamp throat. Ihe line 75 on the transparent block 56, while helpful in centering bal Vamps, is not necessary in work upon blucher Vamps, which are gaged solely by the gage II2. Most blucher Vamps have re-entrant portions at the sides of their throats into which the work engaging portion II4 of the gage II2 extends, and in any case, the blucher gage II2 alone is sufficient to enable the operator to gage a blucher vamp both forwardly and rearwardly and also laterally.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1, In a machine for applying tape to shoe Vamps, means for applying pieces of tape to a vamp, a gage engageable alternatively with two transversely spaced portions of the throat of a blucher vamp, and a support whereon said gage is movable between two operating positions in one of which it gages the vamp relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of a piece of tape at a desired locality at one side of the vamp throat and in the other of which positions it gages the vamp relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of a second piece of tape at a desired locality at the other side of the vamp throat.

2. In a machine for applying tape to shoe vamps, means for applying pieces of tape to a vamp, a gage engageable alternatively with two transversely spaced portion of the throat of a blucher vamp, a support whereon said gage is movable between two operating positions in one of which it gages the vamp relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of a piece of tape at a desired locality at one side of the vamp throat and in the other of which positions it gages the vamp relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of a second piece of tape at a desired locality at the other side of the vamp throat, and movably mounted means cooperating with said gage adjustably to determine the spacing of said positions.

3. In a machine for applying tape to shoe Vamps, means for applying pieces of tape to a vamp, a gage engageable alternatively with two transversely spaced portions of the throat of a blucher vamp, a support whereon said gage is movable between two operating positions in one of which it gages the vamp relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of a piece of tape at a desired locality at one side of the vamp throat and in the other of which positions it gages the tape relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of a secondpiece of tape at a desired locality at the other side of the vamp throat, and a separate gage for bal Vamps cooperating with the blucher gage to render the blucher gage inoperative when the bal gage is in use.

4. In a machine for applying tape to shoe Vamps, means for applying pieces of tape to a vamp, a gage engageable alternatively with two transversely spaced portions of the throat of a blucher vamp, a support upon which said gage is pivotally mounted for swinging movement between two operating positions in one of which it gages the vamp relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of a piece of tape at a desired locality at one side of the vamp throat and in the other of which positions it gages the vamp relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of a second piece of tape at a desired locality at the other side of the vamp throat, and stop means for determining the operating positions of the gage, said stop means comprising a pair of elements one of which is an abutment and the other of which is a member having a V-shaped recess the sides of which are engageable with said abutment, one of said stop elements being secured to said gage, the other 7 stop'element being movable on said s'uppo'rt rel'atively to the one on the gage to vary the extent of swinging movement permitted by the V'-shaped recess.

5. In a 'machine' forapplying tape to shoe Vamps, means for applying pieces of'ta'pe toa vamp, a support, a gage -rnovab1e transversely thereon between two operating p sitions wherein it is engageable alternatively with-two'trans'verse 1y spaced portions of the throat of a bluch'er vamp'to gage the vamp relatively to the tape applying means to insure the application of two pieces of tape at desired localities adjacent to the respective sides of the vamp throat, and another gage on the support engageable with-the throat recess of a bal vamp'to gage the varnpfor- Ward and rearward relatively to the tape applying means, said bal vamp gage having a recess to accommodate the blucher vamp gage when the latter occupies a neutral position intermediate 20 between its operating positions and to hold the blucher vamp gage in said 'neutral'position; said bal vamp gage being movable on 'said support from an operating position wherein it holds the GJ'In -a -machi'r'1e for applying tape to shoe vamp's, "a pair of "tape applying members arranged to receive between them a piece of adhesive tape and a varnp-i a support for one-of'said menibe'r's, means for moving one of "saidmemb'ers towards theothei to apply the pieceof tape' by' pressure to' the varnp'i a gage for blucherva'inps mounted on said supportfo'r ino'vement between two eper ting pdsitions, anwa gage for bal vamps adjustably mounted onsaidsupport for "movement betweeiran' out-ofthewvay' position and an operating position *-which"is intermediate be tween the operating positions of the bluch'er vamp gage; saidbal -gage being'constrticted "and arranged when' in -its*op'er'a ting position to hold said bluchervamp' gage in said intermediate-pdsition-without hindering the use ofth e bal vamp gag-e.

HARRY nnnnroTTU No references cited. 

